DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55, wherein the certified copy(s) is in English.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 03/31/2026, with respect to the claim objections of claims 10 and 23 have been fully considered and are persuasive in view of the amendment filed on 03/31/2026. The claim objections of claims 10 and 23 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-30 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 8-12, 19-25 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2022/0109479 A1 to Liu et al. (hereafter refers as Liu) in view of the US 2020/0313831 A1 to Kim et al. (hereafter refers as Kim) and further in view of US 2017/0346580 A1 to Astrom et al. (hereafter refers as Astrom).
Regarding claims 1 and 25, Liu teaches a method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE) (a method performed by a UE, Fig. 13) and a user equipment (UE) (the UE, Fig. 13, element 1310), comprising:
one or more processors (the UE comprises a processor, Fig. 13, 17A, 18, paragraphs [220, 226-227]); and
one or more memories coupled with the one or more processors and storing (the UE comprises a memory coupled to the processor, Fig. 13, 17A, 18, paragraphs [220, 226-227]) instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the UE to (wherein the memory stores the instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the UE to perform the method, paragraphs [24, 223, 227]):
receive, from a network device, an indication of a time for which the UE is expected to determine an interference covariance matrix (receives from a base station, an indication of signal/channel measurement resource(s) and an indication of interference measurement resource(s), i.e. IMR/CMR resources, which would be used for channel and interference measurement after receiving the indications, Fig. 13 and paragraph [191], wherein the indications specify the time resources, paragraph [81], and the IMR/CMR resources are used to determine an interference covariance matrix, paragraph [192]);
monitor for interference in one or more interference measurement resources based at least in part on receiving the indication of the time (the UE monitors for interferences using the signal/channel measurement resource(s) and interference measurement resource(s) based on the indications, using the time resources indicated by the indication, paragraphs [191-192]);
determine the interference covariance matrix based at least in part on the monitoring for the interference (the UE determines the interference covariance matrix based on the monitoring of the interferences on the signal/channel measurement resource(s) and interference measurement resource(s), paragraphs [192]); and
transmit a sounding reference signal to the network device (the UE transmits a sounding reference signal (SRS) to the base station, paragraph [192] and Fig. 13, step 1329), the sounding reference signal precoded based at least in part on the interference covariance matrix (wherein the SRS is precoded using a SRS precoder determined from the interference covariance matrix, paragraph [192]).
However, Liu does not explicitly teach the time is a “future” time.
Kim teaches a method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE) (a method performed by a UE/terminal, Fig. 6-11 and paragraphs [136-137]) and a user equipment (UE) (the UE/terminal, Fig. 6-11, paragraphs [136-137]), comprising:
one or more processors (the UE comprises a processor, Fig. 12 and paragraphs [287-289]); and
one or more memories coupled with the one or more processors and storing (the UE comprises a memory coupled to the processor, Fig. 12 and paragraphs [289-291]) instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the UE to (wherein the memory stores the instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the UE to perform the method, paragraphs [291-292]):
receive, from a network device, an indication of a future time for which the UE is expected to determine an interference (receives from a base station, DCI/PDCCH indicating a future time, i.e. slot(s) identified by slot offset, for performing measuring of reference signal(s) and thereby determining an interference, abstract and paragraphs [10, 12, 136-139] and Fig. 6-8);
monitor for interference in one or more interference measurement resources based at least in part on receiving the indication of the future time (the UE monitors for interferences in one or more CSI-RS resources based on the indication of future time, i.e. slot(s) identified by slot offset, paragraphs [136-139, 145-147]); and
determine the interference based at least in part on the monitoring for the interference (the UE determines interference based on the monitoring of the interferences in one or more CSI-RS resources, paragraphs [192]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the indication of a future time for which the UE is expected to determine the interference and monitoring for interference in one or more interference measurement resources based at least in part on receiving the indication of the future time as taught by KIM, with the teachings of monitor for interference in one or more interference measurement resources based at least in part on receiving the indication of the time as taught by Liu, for a purpose of increase efficiency in monitoring for interference and reducing the burden for the UE/terminal by allowing the UE/terminal to perform the monitoring and determining in the future time (see Kim, paragraphs [136-139, 145-147]).
However, the combination of Liu and Kim does not explicitly teach the interference covariance matrix is a “predicted” interference covariance matrix.
Astrom teaches monitoring for interference in one or more interference measurement resources (deriving an interference, i.e. channel estimations, in one or more interference measurement resources, paragraphs [9-10, 14, 35, 41, 44-46, 61-62]) and determining a predicted interference covariance matrix based at least in part on the monitoring for the interference (determining a predicted interference covariance matrix based on the derived interference(s), paragraphs [46, 51-52, 64-65, 71-74, 76]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of monitoring for interference in one or more interference measurement resources and determining predicted interference covariance matrix based at least in part on the monitoring for the interference as taught by Astrom, with the teachings of determining the interference covariance matrix based at least in part on the monitoring for the interference as taught by combination of Liu and Kim, for a purpose of mitigating the time difference between measurement and its use by using the predicted interference covariance matrix in order for estimate the future channel (see Astrom, paragraphs [6-9, 18, 26, 50-53]).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Liu, Kim and Astrom further teaches wherein determining the predicted interference covariance matrix comprises:
receiving one or more signals based at least in part on monitoring for the interference (the UE receives one or more signals in one or more the signal/channel measurement resource(s) and interference measurement resource(s), as part of the monitoring for the interference, see Liu, paragraph [191], see Astrom, paragraphs [9-10, 14, 35, 41, 44-46, 61-62]);
estimating a first interference covariance matrix for a time associated with the one or more interference measurement resources based at least in part on receiving the one or more signals (the UE estimates an interference covariance matrix for a time/resource associated with the interference measurement resources according to the receiving of the one or more signals, see Liu, paragraphs [191-192], see Astrom, paragraphs [9-10, 14, 35, 41, 44-46, 61-62]); and
determining the predicted interference covariance matrix based at least in part on a mean of the one or more signals (the UE determines the calculated interference covariance matrix based on the receiving of the one or more signals, paragraphs [191-192], see Astrom, paragraphs [46, 51-52, 64-65, 71-74, 76]) or autocorrelation (or based on autocorrelation, see Astrom, paragraph [68]).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Liu, Kim and Astrom further teaches receiving, at the future time or at a second time, a downlink signal from the network device based at least in part on transmitting the sounding reference signal and on the predicted interference covariance matrix (UE receives at a later time, a downlink signal, i.e. PDSCH, from the base station based on the sounding reference signal and the calculated interference covariance matrix, see Liu, paragraphs [192-194] and Fig. 13, step 1337, see Kim, paragraphs [60-63, 109, 195-196, 211-213]).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Liu, Kim and Astrom further teaches wherein the indication is received in a radio resource control message (the CMR information or IMR information is received in RRC message, see Liu, paragraph [81], see Kim, paragraphs [140, 196, 272]), a medium access control (MAC) control element (the CMR information or IMR information is received in MAC message, see Liu, paragraph [81], see Kim, paragraph [140]), or a downlink control information message (the CMR information or IMR information is received in DCI message, see Liu, paragraph [81], see Kim, abstract and paragraphs [11-12, 134-136]).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Liu, Kim and Astrom further teaches wherein the future time comprises one or more slots (one or more slots, see Kim, paragraphs [136-137, 139-141]), or one or more symbols (resources for transmitting the CMR or the IMR in one or more symbols, see Liu, Fig. 4A, paragraph [80]).
Regarding claims 12 and 28, Liu teaches a method for wireless communications at a network device (a method performed by a base station, Fig. 13, 17B), and a network device (the base station for performing the method, Fig. 13, 17B and paragraph [224]), comprising:
one or more processors (the base station comprises a processor, Fig. 13, 17B, 18, paragraphs [224, 226-228]);
one or more memories coupled with the one or more processors and storing (the base station comprises a memory coupled to the processor, Fig. 13, 17B, 18, paragraphs [224, 226-227]) instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the network device to (wherein the memory stores the instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the base station to perform the method, paragraphs [24, 224, 227]):
transmit, to a user equipment (UE), an indication of a time for which the UE is expected to determine an interference covariance matrix (the base station transmits to a UE, an indication of signal/channel measurement resource(s) and an indication of interference measurement resource(s), i.e. IMR/CMR resources, which would be used for channel and interference measurement after receiving the indications, Fig. 13 and paragraph [191], wherein the indications specify the times of resources, paragraph [81], and the IMR/CMR resources are used to determine an interference covariance matrix, paragraph [192]);
receive a sounding reference signal from the UE based at least in part on transmitting the indication of time (the base station receives, from the UE, a sounding reference signal (SRS), wherein the sounding reference signal is precoded with a precoder determined based on the measurement on the resources indicated in the indication, paragraph [192] and Fig. 13, step 1329), the sounding reference signal precoded based at least in part on the interference covariance matrix (wherein the SRS is precoded using a SRS precoder determined from the interference covariance matrix, paragraph [192]);
determine the interference covariance matrix based at least in part on the sounding reference signal (the base station determines the calculated interference covariance matrix using the precoded sounding reference signal, paragraphs [140, 177, 193] and Fig. 13, steps 1331-1335); and
transmit a downlink signal using one or more transmission parameters that are based at least in part on the interference covariance matrix (the base station transmits a downlink signal, i.e. CSI-RS and/or PDSCH, using parameters determined based on the calculated interference covariance matrix, paragraphs [140, 177, 193] and Fig. 13, step 1337).
However, Liu does not explicitly teach the time is a “future” time.
Kim teaches a method for wireless communications at a network device (a method performed by a base station, Fig. 6-11 and paragraphs [136-137]), and a network device (the base station for performing the method, Fig. 6-11, paragraphs [136-137]), comprising:
one or more processors (the base station comprises a processor, Fig. 13, paragraphs [293-295]);
one or more memories coupled with the one or more processors and storing (the base station comprises a memory coupled to the processor, Fig. 13 and paragraphs [294-296]) instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the network device to (wherein the memory stores the instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the base station to perform the method, paragraphs [296-298]):
transmit, to a user equipment (UE), an indication of a future time for which the UE is expected to determine an interference (transmit, from a base station to a UE/terminal, a DCI/PDCCH indicating a future time, i.e. slot(s) identified by slot offset, for performing measuring of reference signal(s) and thereby determining an interference, abstract and paragraphs [10, 12, 136-139] and Fig. 6-8); and
receive a signal from the UE based at least in part on transmitting the indication of time future (the base station receives, from the UE, a signal/PUSCH, based on the measurement on the resources indicated in the indication, paragraphs [109-110, 121, 134]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of transmitting to a user equipment (UE), an indication of a future time for which the UE is expected to determine an interference and receiving a signal from the UE based at least in part on transmitting the indication of time future as taught by KIM, with the teachings of Liu, for a purpose of increase efficiency in monitoring for interference and reducing the burden for the UE/terminal by allowing the UE/terminal to perform the monitoring and determining in the future time (see Kim, paragraphs [136-139, 145-147]).
However, the combination of Liu and Kim does not explicitly teach the interference covariance matrix is a “predicted” interference covariance matrix.
Astrom teaches precoding based at least in part on a predicted interference covariance matrix (determining CSI comprising precoder which is determined based on a predicted interference covariance matrix, paragraphs [9-10, 14, 35, 41, 44-46, 61-62, 82]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of precoding based at least in part on a predicted interference covariance matrix as taught by Astrom, with the teachings of the interference covariance matrix as taught by combination of Liu and Kim, for a purpose of mitigating the time difference between measurement and its use by using the predicted interference covariance matrix in order for estimate the future channel (see Astrom, paragraphs [6-9, 18, 26, 50-53]).
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Liu, Kim and Astrom further teaches determining the one or more transmission parameters for the downlink signal scheduled for transmission at the future time (determining parameters for the PDSCH/CSI-RS for transmission at the future time, paragraphs [78, 80, 81, 181, 193], see Kim, paragraphs [60-63, 109, 195-196, 211-213]), wherein the one or more transmission parameters are determined based at least in part on the predicted interference covariance matrix (wherein the parameters are determined based on the interference covariance matrix, see Liu, paragraphs [78, 80, 81, 181, 193], which is the predicted interference covariance matrix, see Astrom, paragraphs [46, 51-52, 64-65, 71-74, 76]).
Regarding claim 20, the combination of Liu, Kim, and Astrom further teaches transmitting the downlink signal to the UE at the future time based at least in part on determining the one or more transmission parameters (transmits the PDSCH/CSI-RS at the future time, using the determined parameters, see Liu, paragraphs [78, 80, 81, 181, 193], see Kim, paragraphs [60-63, 109, 195-196, 211-213]).
Regarding claim 21, the combination of Liu, Kim, and Astrom further teaches wherein the one or more transmission parameters comprise a precoder (the precoder, see Liu, paragraph [193], see Kim, paragraph [110], see Astrom, paragraphs [3, 15, 52]), a modulation and coding scheme (MCS, paragraph [93], see Astrom, paragraphs [3, 15, 52]), or a rank indicator associated with the downlink signal (rank, see Liu, paragraphs [82, 92, 113], see Kim, paragraph [110], see Astrom, paragraphs [3, 15, 52]).
Regarding claim 22, the combination of Liu, Kim and Astrom further teaches determining the one or more transmission parameters for the downlink signal scheduled for transmission at a second time (determining parameters for the PDSCH/CSI-RS for transmission at the future time, paragraphs [78, 80, 81, 181, 193]), wherein the one or more transmission parameters are determined based at least in part on the predicted interference covariance matrix and an interpolation (wherein the parameters are determined based on the interference covariance matrix and an interpolation, paragraphs [187, 193], comprising predicted interference covariance matrix, see Astrom, paragraphs [46, 51-52, 64-65, 71-74, 76] ); and transmitting the downlink signal to the UE at the second time based at least in part on determining the one or more transmission parameters (the base station transmits the downlink signal, i.e. CSI-RS and/or PDSCH, using parameters, paragraphs [140, 177, 193] and Fig. 13, step 1337).
Regarding claim 23, the combination of Liu, Kim and Astrom further teaches wherein the indication is transmitted in a radio resource control message (the CMR information or IMR information is received in RRC message, see Liu, paragraph [81], see Kim, paragraphs [140, 196, 272]), a medium access control element (the CMR information or IMR information is received in MAC message, see Liu, paragraph [81], see Kim, paragraph [140]), or a downlink control information message (the CMR information or IMR information is received in DCI message, see Liu, paragraph [81], see Kim, abstract and paragraphs [11-12, 134-136]).
Regarding claim 24, the combination of Liu, Kim and Astrom further teaches wherein the future time comprises one or more slots (one or more slots, see Kim, paragraphs [136-137, 139-141]), or one or more symbols (resources for transmitting the CMR or the IMR in one or more symbols, see Liu, Fig. 4A, paragraph [80]).
Claims 2, 6, 7, 13, 17, 18, 26 and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2022/0109479 A1 to Liu et al. (hereafter refers as Liu) in view of the US 2020/0313831 A1 to Kim et al. (hereafter refers as Kim) and US 2017/0346580 A1 to Astrom et al. (hereafter refers as Astrom) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2022/0173865 A1 to Maamari et al. (hereafter refers as Maamari).
Regarding claims 2, 13, 26 and 29, the combination of Liu, Kim and Astrom does not explicitly teach “receiving the indication as part of a sounding reference signal configuration for transmission of the sounding reference signal”.
Maamari teaches receiving an indication of a future time for which the UE is expected to determine an interference (receiving an indication of CSI-RS information for which the UE is expected to determine an interference, i.e. measuring the CSI-RS, paragraphs [139, 184-185]), wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving the indication as part of a sounding reference signal configuration for transmission of the sounding reference signal (wherein the indication of CSI-RS information/resources is received as a part of an SRS configuration, paragraph [184]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of receiving the indication as part of a sounding reference signal configuration for transmission of the sounding reference signal as taught by Maamari, with the teachings of receiving the indication of future time as taught by combination of Liu, Kim and Astrom, for a purpose of reducing amount of signals being transmitted, by transmitting the indication as part of the sounding reference signal configuration, a single configuration (see Maamari, paragraph [184]).
Regarding claims 6 and 17, the combination Liu, Kim and Astrom further teaches receiving control signaling identifying the one or more interference measurement resources (the UE receives control signaling identifying one or more interference measurement resources, see Liu, Fig. 13 and paragraph [191], and a control signaling identifying one or more resource for transmission of the sounding reference signal, see Liu, paragraph [191] and Fig. 13), wherein monitoring for the interference is based at least in part on receiving the control signaling (the UE performs monitoring/measuring of the interference on the one or more interference measurement resources, and performs a transmission of the sounding reference signal on the resource indicated for transmitting the sounding reference signal, paragraphs [191-192]).
However, the combination Liu, Kim and Astrom does not explicitly teach control signaling identifying the one or more interference measurement resources “and a resource for transmission of the sounding reference signal”, wherein monitoring for the interference “and transmitting the sounding reference signal” is based at least in part on receiving the control signaling.
Maamari teaches receiving control signaling identifying the one or more interference measurement resources and a resource for transmission of the sounding reference signal (a UE receives an SRS configuration information including the CSI-RS information, paragraph [184-185]), wherein monitoring for the interference and transmitting the sounding reference signal is based at least in part on receiving the control signaling (the UE monitors for the interference using the CSI-RS information and transmits the SRS based on the SRS configuration information, paragraphs [184-187]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of receiving control signaling identifying the one or more interference measurement resources and a resource for transmission of the sounding reference signal, wherein monitoring for the interference and transmitting the sounding reference signal is based at least in part on receiving the control signaling as taught by Maamari, with the teachings of the control signaling identifying the one or more interference measurement resources as taught by combination Liu, Kim and Astrom, for a purpose of reducing amount of signals being communicated, by communicate using the control signaling identifying the one or more interference measurement resources and the resource for transmission of the sounding reference signal (see Maamari, paragraph [184]).
Regarding claims 7 and 18, the combination of Liu, Kim, Astrom and Maamari further teaches wherein receiving the control signaling further comprises: receiving a first identification of a respective time associated with each of the one or more interference measurement resources each respective time relative to the control signaling (receiving a first identification of a time, i.e. index of time resources for transmission of interference measurement resource, see Liu, paragraphs [14, 81, 200]); and receiving a second identification of a time associated with the resource for the transmission of the sounding reference signal, the time relative to the control signaling (receiving a second identification of a time, i.e. index of time resources for transmission of sounding reference signal, see Maamari, paragraphs [115, 165, 173, 176, 179]).
Claims 3, 5, 14, 16, 27 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2022/0109479 A1 to Liu et al. (hereafter refers as Liu) in view of the US 2020/0313831 A1 to Kim et al. (hereafter refers as Kim) and further in view of US 2017/0346580 A1 to Astrom et al. (hereafter refers as Astrom) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2018/0049175 A1 to Bagheri et al. (hereafter refers as Bagheri).
Regarding claims 3, 14, 27 and 30, the combination Liu, Kim and Astrom further teaches receiving a control signaling identifying a list comprising a respective quantity of future times (the UE receives a set of resources for measuring, see Liu, paragraphs [191-192], see Kim, paragraphs [113-114, 122], table 13, wherein the resources including the time resources, see Liu, paragraph [81], see Kim, paragraphs [113-114, 122], table 13).
However, the combination Liu, Kim and Astrom does not explicitly teach “receiving first control signaling identifying a set of lists, each list of the set of lists comprising” a respective quantity of future times.
Bagheri teaches receiving first control signaling identifying a set of lists, each list of the set of lists comprising a respective quantity of future times (a UE receives a first indication from a node, specifying a plurality of resource block sets, abstract and paragraphs [48-50, 147-148], wherein the resource block comprising time-frequency resources, abstract and paragraphs [34-36, 140-142]); and
receiving second control signaling identifying a selected list of the set of lists, the selected list comprising the indicated future time (a UE receives a second indication from the node, specifying a selected resource block set, abstract and paragraphs [48-50, 147-148]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of receiving first control signaling identifying a set of lists, each list of the set of lists comprising a respective quantity of future times and receiving second control signaling identifying a selected list of the set of lists, the selected list comprising the indicated future time as taught by Bagheri, with the teachings of receiving second control signaling identifying a selected list of the set of lists, the selected list comprising the indicated future time as taught by combination Liu, Kim and Astrom, for a purpose of increase efficiency in monitoring for interference by indicating the set of lists, wherein each list of the set of lists comprising a respective quantity of future times, thus increase quantity of future times (see Bagheri, abstract and paragraphs [48-50, 147-148]).
Regarding claims 5 and 16, the combination Liu, Kim and Astrom further teaches receiving a second control signaling the plurality of future times comprising the indicated future time (the UE receives a set of resources for measuring, see Liu, paragraphs [191-192], see Kim, paragraphs [113-114, 122], table 13 wherein the resources including the time resources, see Liu, paragraph [81], see Kim, paragraphs [113-114, 122], table 13).
However, the combination Liu, Kim and Astrom does not explicitly teach “receiving first control signaling identifying an integer quantity; monitoring, based at least in part on receiving the first control signaling, for second control signaling identifying a plurality of future times whose quantity is the integer quantity” and receiving the second control signaling “based at least in part on the monitoring”.
Bagheri teaches receiving first control signaling identifying an integer quantity (a UE receives a first indication from a node, specifying a plurality of resource block sets, abstract and paragraphs [48-50, 147-148], wherein the resource block comprising time-frequency resources, abstract and paragraphs [34-36, 140-142]); monitoring, based at least in part on receiving the first control signaling, for second control signaling identifying a plurality of future times whose quantity is the integer quantity (the UE monitors for a second indication, paragraphs [34-35, 39, 77, 86]); and receiving the second control signaling based at least in part on the monitoring, the plurality of future times comprising the indicated future time (the UE receives the second indication, based on the monitoring, specifying a selected resource block set, abstract and paragraphs [48-50, 147-148]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of receiving first control signaling identifying an integer quantity; monitoring, based at least in part on receiving the first control signaling, for second control signaling identifying a plurality of future times whose quantity is the integer quantity; and receiving the second control signaling based at least in part on the monitoring, the plurality of future times comprising the indicated future time as taught by Bagheri, with the teachings of combination Liu, Kim and Astrom, for a purpose of increase efficiency allocating the plurality of future times by monitoring for the second control signaling based at least in part on receiving he first control signaling (see Bagheri, paragraphs [34-35, 39, 77, 86]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2022/0131588 A1 (same assignee) discloses a base station transmits an indication of future time(s) to an UE to enable the UE to perform interference measurement at the future time(s) (paragraphs [93-95]), wherein the UE determines a predicted interference covariance matrix based on the interference measurements at the future time(s) (paragraphs [91-93, 124-126]).
US 2018/0337716 A1 discloses obtaining an interference and noise covariance matrix, generating approximated covariance matrix and precoding SRS based on the approximated covariance matrix (see Fig. 3 and paragraphs [29-31, 40, 55]).
US 2022/0386292 A1 discloses UE determines predicted CSI based on measurement of downlink reference signal (See Fig. 3).
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUNG B. HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)270-7642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
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/DUNG B HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469 June 3, 2026
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